The May 30th team got their cache all the way up to high camp today! It’s a significant accomplishment and a major step forward on the route.
Today played out in a couple of different ways for the team. Everyone got a run up the fixed lines, which is one of the more demanding sections of the West Buttress. The fixed lines run up the Headwall above 14 Camp from around 15,200 feet to 16,200 feet on steep, exposed terrain. Climbers clip into pre-set ropes and ascend using mechanical ascenders, working their way up with crampons biting into firm snow and ice. Getting the whole team up to the top of the lines is a great accomplishment on its own.
From there, a smaller group from the team continued up to high camp to drop the cache, while the rest of the team headed back down to 14 Camp. Splitting the day this way is a smart approach. A smaller, faster-moving group can handle the push up high with the loads, while the rest of the climbers conserve energy and avoid spending too much time at high altitude before the eventual move. With supplies now staged at high camp, the team has done a major piece of work on the way to establishing themselves higher up.
The plan from here is a rest day tomorrow at 14 Camp. After a big day on the fixed lines and the cache push up high, a day spent resting, eating, and acclimatizing is exactly what the team needs heading into the next phase of the climb.
For now, the May 30th team is back at 14 Camp, settling in and looking ahead to a day of recovery tomorrow. With the cache in place at high camp, the team is in a great position to keep building momentum on the upper mountain.
Mountain Trip teams coming down the fixed lines
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